Despite a faux-graffitied set looking very much like an ironic homage to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, irony is one thing not in the Tom Tom Crew's repertoire. Beatboxing, breakdancing and acrobatics are, however, and all are presented with a cheesy but winning enthusiasm that sees performers finish their backflips with a thumbs up and a wink. They may dress like a short-lived boyband from '94 but these clean-cut Aussies prove a lot more talented than that.
For all the compere's down-with-the-kids injunctions to "vibe the place up, guys!" (and "vibe" the audience obligingly does), the show has a curiously old-fashioned flavour in its variety act format, particularly a comedic turn on an Omnichord, a retro Suzuki electronic instrument. As the audience pitch in for the chorus, it feels like a Flight of the Conchords song, only with even less cynicism. The acrobatics are unfailingly impressive, culminating in a cartoonishly brilliant seesaw finale.
However it's beatboxer Tom Thum who causes the most jaws to drop. This man seems capable of producing any sound, conjuring up not only multilayered drum'n'bass and hip hop but scratchy gramophone records, mariachi trumpets and a double bass. I bet he could even do an Omnichord.
